I love the idea that road bikes will soon be available with hydro disc brakes. I’m never going to do any sort of race where seconds matter, so I also like the idea of bolt through hubs both ends. I’m not looking to reopen that debate, I’m sold, I know others aren’t.

My dilemma is that I was all set to save up and buy one of these when they appear next year. However, I’ve just spotted a carbon bike with full 11 speed ultegra which has turned my head.

Cheaper and available now. But will I regret buying that when the disc brake bolt through bikes are out?

Why bolt through? Security? You can always get a standard qr and use those security key skewers. I’m also big on the idea of discs on road bikes purely from a maintenance and faff perspective.

I’m also big on the idea of discs on road bikes purely from a maintenance and faff perspective.

You like more of it?

OP, sounds like you are sold on discs and would regret buying the one now when there are loads of new bikes with discs about. Have you actually tried a road bike with discs? May be worth trying to get a ride on one so you can make a decision based on some real experience.

We had a Specialized Crux in the shop last week and I felt that the hydro discs were ‘too much’ for me.
I really wouldn’t like them on my road bikes but people’s opinions differ. I love the cable discs on my CaadX though.
Have you tried hydro discs on a road bike yet? If not, try and give them a go. You may find that you’re not so keen and the good deal you have on the Ultegra bike could be ideal.
I really don’t think hydro’s on road bikes are all that. Maybe an innovation just because ‘they’ can rather than ‘they’ should?
As mentioned above, bolt through is easily done.

I’m currently riding a kinesis Tripster with hope e4 brakes running off their original pro lever cable convertors. Love out braking mates on the down hills in all weather.

I would like bolt through just because I think it makes more engineering sense. If frame designers are having to start with a clean sheet, why not!

From a faff and maintenance view point, I find them less faff as well.

Unless riding in wet weather, I really see no benefit in discs on a road bike (and I had a disc-equipped road bike for 7 years – now upgraded to drums).

As for bolt through axles, seriously? No benefit to me whatsoever, not even in engineering terms (for what that’s worth – for me, nowt)

If you are already doubting your conviction to these ideas and their engineering superiority, it shows me that you don’t really believe in them at all.

I can’t say I’ve ever thought “I wish I had bolt through axles on this” when riding a road bike. I doubt the vast majority of people have (and I’m dubious about the rest). My brakes were rubbish in the wet yesterday, so I can see the advantage of discs, but the majority of the time when I’m riding in the dry there would be no benefit to those either – are you really planning on doing lots of road riding in the wet on a race style bike (I wouldn’t do any if I wasn’t racing, as it’s not all that much fun)?

Benefits of discs? Really don’t have to explain this, but no cable adjustments needed, no rim wear or requirement for thick rim walls=lighter wheels, consistent braking performance in all weather, quicker to remove wheels, fewer pad changes needed, lots more I’m sure. Yes they are heavier, so what

I can’t say I’ve ever had an issue on a nice race bike (which is what the OP is proposing getting) with cable adjustment, rim wear, speed of wheel removal (to be honest it’s more faff getting a disc in the caliper than it is fitting a rim between a brake caliper) or changing pads regularly. Maybe on a utility bike, but that’s not what the OP is proposing.

I’m happy with discs, as I’ve already said. Bolt through isn’t a deal breaker but if I’m getting something with discs, why not take the bolt through as well?

Mrblobby, you could be right but I’m just wondering if I bike under your arse is worth two in the garage.

the question i would ask, do you have a road bike, is this an upgrade or a new bike? if new any bike is better than no bike. If it is an upgrade then the only question is do you need a new bike?

whatever you buy will be out of date in a year, and with the way standards are changing it might be worth waiting a bit till things settle a fraction.

if I’m getting something with discs, why not take the bolt through as well?

Because there’s absolutely no advantage.

So have you ridden a road bike? Are you aware of the amount of grip (and lack of rolling resistance/speed) a 23c contact patch with the road gives you?

Cable discs work fine and are already available on some road bikes aren’t they?

Laughing at the idea that cable adjustment on road bikes is a faff. Also as mentioned above aligning a disc in a caliper takes way more time than opening the quick release on rim brakes.

Have these people actually ridden a bike rather than reading about them on th’internet?

I’m not bothered about discs on my road bike. I’m a bit of a fair weather road biker anyway so the issue of wet brakes is not a problem and the braking capability in the dry is more than adequate. I’ve just bought a bike in the sales with rim brakes so not a problem for me. I have a wet weather commuter bike (Cotic Roadrat) with disc brakes for those odd occasions I man up and go out in the rain.

It’s far better to get a good deal on a good bike than wait for specific bikes with discs to trickle down. Anyway – will road bikes with disks have bolt through axels? I would have through that they would stick with QR, especially for race bikes for speed of wheel changes.

I would be scared to use disk brakes on a road bike if they are that much superior to rim brakes.
Brakes that slow me down rather than lock wheels or put me over the bars please.

Also – since when did tightening a cable take longer than 30 seconds?

My newest road bike has had zero maintenance on the brakes since I bought it at the start of the year. I assume discs will offer less-than-zero maintenance, then?

I love the idea that road bikes will soon be available with hydro disc brakes. I’m never going to do any sort of race where seconds matter, so I also like the idea of bolt through hubs both ends.

I don’t really understand why you feel you need bolt through axles. I can understand discs though if you regularly ride in very wet weather.

I bought a new road bike last year, ridden lots haven’t adjusted the brakes once.

Benefits of discs? Really don’t have to explain this, but no cable adjustments needed, no rim wear or requirement for thick rim walls=lighter wheels, consistent braking performance in all weather, quicker to remove wheels, fewer pad changes needed, lots more I’m sure. Yes they are heavier, so what

Don’t really get most of that but then again I have 3 road bikes so wear isn’t that much of an issue. Discs for the commuter – agree, discs on a high end road bike for a fair weather cyclist- not a deal breaker.

I would be scared to use disk brakes on a road bike if they are that much superior to rim brakes.
Brakes that slow me down rather than lock wheels or put me over the bars please.

Are you scared to ride your MTB on the road too 😆

Doesn’t matter in the dry but in the wet discs make sense for road bikes for the same list of reasons (all ready pointed out) that they do for MTBs.

Hmmm? have you ever ridden a road bike Tinribz?

Mtb tyres are a tad bit grippier than your average 23mm road tyres.
If you are serious in comparing mtb braking with road bike braking, then ..

MrSmith – Member
So have you ridden a road bike? Are you aware of the amount of grip (and lack of rolling resistance/speed) a 23c contact patch with the road gives you?

Have you ridden a road bike with discs? They do slow you more quickly.

I’m not convinced for discs on road bikes.
The contact patch is too small for any advantage over the best dual-pivot calipers.

Anyway – will road bikes with disks have bolt through axels? I would have through that they would stick with QR, especially for race bikes for speed of wheel changes.

Not too sure what it’s called but my disk braked road bike has a 9mm QR through axles rather than skewers. Maybe that’s what the op meant.

mudsux – Member
I’m not convinced for discs on road bikes.
The contact patch is too small for any advantage over the best dual-pivot calipers

Best try before you post – it isa benefit, particularly in the wet, why anyone thinks contact area is the only factor is beyond me.

Some manufacturers are looking at using 15mm front and 12 x 142 at the back.

Why not take the arguement above and turn it on its head. If you’re designing a new frame to take discs, why stick with old style qr? What advantage does it give? Why wouldn’t you want a more rigid connection between wheels and forks?

Onzadog – Member
Some manufacturers are looking at using 15mm front and 12 x 142 at the back.

Why not take the arguement above and turn it on its head. If you’re designing a new frame to take discs, why stick with old style qr? What advantage does it give? Why wouldn’t you want a more rigid connection between wheels and forks?

Wheel/frame retro compatability.

Do you really think there is a benefit to through axles on a road bike which by definition is rigid at both ends? I’d love to seem some engineering to back that up – I don’t believe there is even a noticeable benefit, let alone a significant one, enough to justify YET ANOTHER UNNECCESSARY NEW STANDARD like 15mm.

I’ve had a disc braked road bike for the last 4 years. I can quite honestly say that the only advantage is that in the wet the rims, tires and frame don’t get covered in that grey paste that rim brakes produce. Everything else has almost no discernable benefit – based on 40 miles/ day commute.

Have you ridden a road bike with discs? They do slow you more quickly.

Yes. But for me the so called benefits weren’t significant as I’m not a pie eater and I don’t bimble about on 28c tyres. If I rode a commuter/hybrid/touring type bike then possibly but I would want the tech to mature a bit more or have my hand forced because that’s all that’s available (which will happen eventually). I quite like the drop in performance in the wet with road brakes as it seems to balance out the available grip and match the riding style of thinking ahead.
I’m interested to see how pad wear fares over a winters use and any water ingress with the seals over time and the drop off in performance.
I will be riding discs on the road at some point but I’m in no hurry and I certainly wouldn’t wait for a bike with disc brakes to be released now over a conventional bike, it’s not as if that mature technology will suddenly become redundant in the way discs took over canti’s with MTB.
Other people will think differently and think they are essential.

Have you ridden a road bike with discs? They do slow you more quickly.

In the wet. Anybody who says otherwise wasn’t riding my bike in the torrential rain yesterday. In the dry the limit isn’t the brakes, it isn’t even the size of the contact patch (incidentally slick road tyres actually have better grip on tarmac than knobbly MTB ones). It’s my desire not to flip over the bars. Most nice road bikes are mostly or only ridden in the dry though.

If you’re designing a new frame to take discs, why stick with old style qr? What advantage does it give? Why wouldn’t you want a more rigid connection between wheels and forks?

How about you tell us what the advantage actually is to departing from the current standard. Or do you think having multiple different ways of fitting wheels to bikes is a good thing?

My road bike has caliper brakes (Campag Super Record) they’re fine but I rarely ride it in the wet. My CX bike has cable disc’s (I’ve just changed from BB7’s to TRP HyRd’s) they have all the power I need and more important, excellent modulation and they’re consistent wet or dry.
I’m not sure if I’d bother with disc’s on a road bike though(probably would on a commuter), I’ve only needed to adjust my Campags once in 2000 miles .

Bolt through axles? Whatever next, road bikes with suspension and dropper posts? Road riders wearing camelbacks?

I think if you’re riding through winter then discs are a good idea as it’s quite easy to wear out a set of rims in a few months of wet weather riding. But apart from that, rim brakes are just fine!